Hi everyone. Thank you to Marcia for having me on!

I’m a dog lover and dogs play a part in most of my books. In one of my first contemporary romance novels, Millie Vanilla’s Cupcake Café, Trevor the little cockapoo replaces the family Millie lost. I like to think of Millie, several years on, with lots of dogs, a couple of children, some beehives and a few chickens sharing her beautiful country cottage. You’ll have to read the Berecombe series of books to find out how she achieves her dream!

{NOTE FROM MARCIA: All buy links for these books can be found on Georgia’s Amazon Author Pages – see below}

In a later book in the series, Benji, the spoiled Westie in The Little Book Café, is instrumental in revealing just how cruel Tash’s boyfriend is. The same book has gentle giant animal sanctuary owner Kit. I gave him a gentle giant of a dog, so he has Merlin the rescued Irish Wolfhound. Kit leaves Merlin to guard Tash, and he’s a quiet presence in the book–just like Kit. My favourite kind of hero!

Why do I put dogs in books? Good question as, just as in life, they can be hard work and a huge tie [aka commitment]! I’ve always loved dogs. I’ve owned a cocker spaniel, a sprocker [NOTE: a cross between an English Springer Spaniel and an English Cocker Spaniel], and currently have a little black cockapoo and a rescue cocker spaniel.

Dogs can be useful in books. Writing a scene where an otherwise taciturn grumpy hero is caring and soppy with his dog can show his softer side. Equally, a character being cruel to an animal can hammer home how wicked they are–even when their public face says something else.

In While I Was Waiting, Piglet, the crossbreed puppy, turns Rachel’s life around when she is at her lowest and opens her up to love.

And dogs can move the plot forward, too. In Janey Trelawney’s Year of Surprising Triumphs, Camilla, the beautiful but dippy cocker, brings the hero and heroine together in a dramatic “meet cute.”

Although I’m probably best known for my contemporary romances, I also write historical romance, too–dual narratives where two stories run parallel alongside one another. They’re my absolute favourite kind of books to read. I find them challenging to write, but eminently satisfying when I manage to pull both plots together at the end. Dogs feature in them, too, although in Magpie, my historical novel about witchcraft, cats play a bigger part.

In On a Falling Tide, set in Lyme Regis and inspired by fossil expert Mary Anning, boatbuilder Matt owns springer puppy Dolly. Not only does she bring Matt and the heroine Charity together, but she’s also the perfect dog for him, being as energetic, loyal, and hard-working as he is. She also–sort of–finds the ammonite fossil which plays a vital part in the story. And another springer and an Irish Wolfhound, in The Sea Glass Necklace, protect their mistresses against predatory and very evil men.

I belong to the Romantic Novelists’ Association. Whenever there is a conference, the Elizabeth Goudge Competition is held. In 2024 my entry, Room for Two at Rose Cottage, achieved second place. I completely rewrote it as Sunny New Beginnings at Sea Haven House, which will be my next book out in June. The forced proximity romance evolved into something very different, and guess what, it features a dog. Vinny the spaniel helps heroine Callie reflect on her childhood, making her realise just how dysfunctional it was. Told you dogs in books can be useful.

Dogs have given me so much in life and they add to my writing, too. Not sure I’d ever trust a romantic hero who didn’t like them!

You can find me here:

Website: http://www.georgiahill.co.uk

Amazon UK Author Page: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Georgia-Hill/e/B003VMVXN2/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1429883769&sr=1-1

Amazon US Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Georgia-Hill/e/B003VMVXN2/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/georgiahillauthor?ref=bookmarks

Twitter: https://twitter.com/georgiawrites

MARCIA: Thank you, Georgia, for being my May interviewee!

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